~I STAFF COUNCIL Winter 1996 NEWSLETTER Volume 4, Number 2

RITAmbulance Corps - Students Providinga ValuableService by Sandi Tomassetti

If you need emergency medical assistanceon campus, who do members haveALStraining but cannot be certified because you call?The first thing you should do is call Campus Safety. the corps or unit is not ALS certified. The members of the They willpage the EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) on corps numbers seventy at this time. It is one of a few duty and dispatch the RIT . Within a few minutes, university-certifiedambulance corps in the country. Many a "first responder" will arriveto assessthe situation and begin towns in New YorkState do not have a New YorkState administering whatever medical assistancehe/she can provide. certified ambulance corps. The RIT Ambulance willsoon arrive with two EMTs and To become an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), Campus Safetywill arriveto assist if needed. The RIT you must successfullycomplete 130+ hours of classroomand Ambulance is driven by an EMT who can assist the primary hospital training, as well as pass two state exams. EMTs need EMT if needed. If (ALS) is needed, a to be re-certified every three years. A basic Emergency call is made to the Henrietta Volunteer Ambulance and they Medical Technician (EMT) is a person trained in life- arrive within minutes. sustaining methods - not invasivemethods. That means they The EMT in charge determines whether a transport to a cannot enter into the living body by incision or insertion of an medical facility(hospital) is needed. Patients are usually instrument. A person certified in Advanced Life Support transported to Strong Memorial Hospital. The patient can (ALS) can use invasivemethods of administering medication, refuse transport by signing a waiver,or they can request administering airwaymanagement and performing manual another hospital. The RIT Ambulance will try to honor their cardiac . Defibrillation means uncoordinated request if there is time and the availabilityof servicesat the rhythm of the heart which stops blood circulation in the body other hospital. The EMT filesa PCR (Pre-Hospital Care and can lead to death. A defibrillator is a machine designed for Report) before leavingthe hospital and it becomes part of the cardiac emergencies, and the RIT Ambulance has one. The patient's hospital record. A copy of it goes to the RIT Student EMTs on the RIT Ambulance have that training. Health Center. RIT has an Emergency Medical Services(EMS) RIT has had an emergency medical unit for 25 yearsand Consultant and his name is Jim Sheehan. He reports to the an ambulance for 10 years. It is a 24 hour ambulance service director of the Student Health Center, Cassandra Jordan. Jim which is availableseven days a week except during the quarter is a student in RIT's Physician'sAssistant program. He deals breaks. There is no charge for this service but there may be a with the medical procedures needed for the operation of the charge if the RIT Ambulance cannot respond. RIT Ambulance. Jennifer Randolph, staff assistant to The RIT Ambulance Corps is staffed entirely by RIT Cassandra Jordan, coordinates and supports the corps. Since students trained and certified as Emergency Medical the RIT Ambulance Corps is staffed entirely by students who Techniciansor having higher medical skills.Many corps are normally in class,there needs to be a person who is availablethroughout the day for the day-to-day, hour-to-hour operations and support. o Inside this issue ... The Student Health Center handles the budget for the Ambulance Corps. There is an annual reviewof their budget RIT Ambulance Corps 1, 2 for supplies.Any capitalrequests for equipment go to Student United Way Update 2 Affairsand Dr. Linda Kuk. The ambulance is leased because Attention Readers 2 the institute prefers an annual budgeted amount. There are two vehicles.Vehicle#6359 is used for patient transport and - ElectionTime is Near 2 Vehicle#6M93 is the command-post unit, or backup unit. The Did lOu Know? 3 backup unit has extra medical supplies and extra equipment like radios, a computer and a cellular phone. They can SC WorkingFor lOu 3 coordinate an emergency response for the campus or the $$ MoneySense$$ 3 community &om that vehicle.The vehiclesare housed in the Policyon Lettersto the Editor 4: August building of the Student Life Center. Th~ RIT Ambulance Corps is New YorkState certified Staff CouncilAd Hoc NewsletterCommittee 4: and has been for 10 years. New YorkState requires that there (continued on next page) RIT Ambulance Corps (continued from page ') be one ambulance and crew per 5,000 people. At graduation United Way Update time when there are 10,000 people on campus, extra EMT's The RIT United WayCampaign is in full swing under are placed around the campus to stand by.The Henrietta the leadership ofJoe Nairn, Chair of the 1996 Ambulance is an added resource if needed, especiallyif Campaign Steering Committee. The campaign got off to AdvancedLifeSupport is needed. Some of our RIT Ambu- a great start with nearly 100 staff and facultyvolunteers lance crew are volunteers in Henrietta's Ambulance Corps. attending one of two training sessionsdesigned to Anyone interested in becoming a part of the RIT introduce them to United Way's new "Investment for Ambulance, can pick up an application in the Student Health Results" strategy. Center. Youmust meet the following requirements to obtain The annual TASTE OF RIT kicked off this annual probationary membership in the RIT Ambulance Corps: be 18 Institute fundraising campaign by bringing together years of age or older; be an RIT student, faculty/staff more than BOO faculty,staff, and students for what has member, or invited alumnus; and hold current become a tasty tradition at RIT. Thanks to the Catering Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certification. There is and Food Servicestaffs,the PhysicalPlant staff, and to also an interview required as part of the process. all the staff volunteers who contributed to this successful Emergency care begins and includes treating both the sick event which raised over $6,700. and injured at the emergency scene and during the transport, To date, the campaign has raised $156,040, or 83% with the providers of this care being trained to consider the physicaland emotional need of the patient. Molly Diem, of of our goal. If you have not yet returned your pledge RIT's FinancialAid Office, suffered a heart attack in the Ice card, send it now to be included in the grand prize Rink parking lot a few years ago and experienced first hand drawing for 1WO AIRLINE TICKETS, compliments of DiMaria Travel.Help Write a SuccessStory! the emergencymedical servicethat the RIT Ambulance provides. She was very impressedwith how they handled the situation. "They were calmand kept me calm. They kept me informed of what they were doing, and that gaveme a levelof comfort." She recovered and returned to work after a few months. She also wrote a letter of appreciation to the RIT Ambulance Corps. The students who serve as volunteers on the RIT Ambulance Corps provide a valuable serviceto the RIT Attention Readers community. Many of the volunteers are pursuing their degrees in the Physician'sAssistantprogram so our EMT's have a higher caliber of medical skilland knowledge. By becoming The Staff Council Newsletter will no longer contain the EMTs, these students are professionalproviders of emergency minutes &om the Staff Council meetings. If you are care. The term "professional" does not implypayment for interested in reading the minutes you can accessthem services.It refers to training, dedication, desire to perform to via the vax through the Notes conference the best of one's ability and willingnessto continue with (StafCCouncil) or by contacting your StaffCouncil formal training. representative. Dr. Linda Kuk is quoted as saying, "The RIT Ambulance Corps is one of the groups that has worked very hard to model what it truly means to be a volunteer student service organization. They provide a service that is critical for the health and well being of this community. I know I sleep more soundly at night knowing that they are there." President Simone said, "We are most proud of our students who balance their academicsto find the time and Election time is near! I ~ I volunteer to be a part of the RIT Ambulance Corps. The personal and unselfish care they demonstrate for others is much appreciated by those they help and, certainly, by RIT." A call for nominations in voting Block 2 (Enrollment Cassandra Jordan takes pride in the RIT Ambulance Management), Block4 (Student Mfairs), and Block 6 Corps and says, "Student volunteers with emergency medical (all colleges,except NTID) was completed by the training fulfilla critical need for continuing health- care Elections committee in early Marcn. coverage for allwithin the RIT community. Having the RIT Ambulance Corps availableto respond to the emergency Officialballots will be mailed on March 29th. When you medical needs of students, faculty,and staff and visitors24 receive your ballot, please cast your vote and return. hours a day, seven days a week, provides not only a valuable servicebut reassurance that emergency medical assistance Election winners will be notified on April 18th. (when needed) is truly a phone call away." .:. DidYou Know? c: SC Working for You

In March 1995, there was an announcement &om RIT Staff Council has been involved in ongoing discussions with Personnel Department that there would be a change in the administration regarding the possible impacts of medical benefits for those who retire after July 1, 1996. Administrative and Academic Program Reviews.We have "For employees who retire after July 1, 1996, the cost of prepared a proposal to assist displaced employees and health insurance willchange as the employee ages." This presented it to President Simone, William Dempsey,Vice basicallyaffects those employeeswho are now in the 50- President of Finance and Administration, and Kathy Bello, 55 age category. For more information, contact Joanne Director of Personnel. Staff Council has receiveda Cochi in the "RITPersonnel Office at ext. 2604. preliminary response &om the president indicating that he has reviewed the proposal and will give it further consideration as circumstances require.

$$ Money Sense $$

Staff Council operates on a very modest budget and the response to the 1995-96 Financial Support appeal did not meet our needs. We must therefore appeal to you again. The Institute supports Staff Council by paying the salary and benefits for the council's part-time secretary,and also supplies the office space. Staff Council is responsible for the operation of the office. This includes monthly telephone charges, office supplies, and mailing/copying expenses. Other annual expensesinclude the costs for co-sponsored events and set-up charges for staff informational meetings. There was also a specialone-time expense associatedwith the installation of a vax terminal for general staff use, the purchase of a used computer and printer, and the purchase of software for the computer. The council's budget of $4700 is used to meet these basic expenses. The RlT Staff Council exists to address issuesand matters of general concern to staff and to represent staff in the governance system of the institute. The council has been very activeworking for the interests of the entire community. In the past year it has charged severaltask forces to address issueswhich effect everyone on campus. These specialcommittees incur costs that are paid &omthe council budget. In the past year the Staff Council Child Care Task Force Report had a significant impact on the decision to provide improved child care facilitieson campus. The information for the child care report was obtained &om a distribution of 10,000 surveys to faculty,staff, and students. The cost of the survey was over $600. Faculty Council graciouslycontributed $200, while Staff Council paid the balance. Staff Council needs your encouragement, your ideas, and your financial help. Please do your part. Clip the coupon below and send it alorig with your check to Barbara Warth, 4316 City Center.

~ I I I I StaffCouncilContribution1995-96 I I Name(PleasePrint) I I I I Department I I I I Make check payableto RlT Staff Council I I Send to: BarbaraWarth - City Center, 4316 I L ~ ~ Policy on Letters to the Editor Submitted by RITStaff Council Communications 4. In a letter to the editor(s), the name, department, Committee. Approved by RITStaff Council office address, and telephone number of the ]. A letter to the editor(s) must be of an opinion author must be given. It will be used to confirm on RITissues affecting RITstaff members. that the author has written the letter. Only the author's name will be published. 2. The length of the letter must not exceed 250 words. 5. The editor(s) will use their discretion in publishing of all letters. 3. Allletters must be signed and the author's name will be published. Anonymous letters will 6. The editor(s) reserve the right to edit letters. not be published.

Staff Council Ad Hoc Newsletter Committee

Managing Editor - Bret D. Wachter StaffWriter - Caro/Thayer Production Manager - Sarah Perkins Copy Editor - Susan Dauenhauer Contributing Editor/Head Staff Writer - Sandi Tomassetti Staff Council Liaison - Mary Ann Connor

Yesterday is history, Tomorrow is a mystery, Today is a gift. That)s why we call it «the Present. »

- A greeting ctlrd messtlge

Staff Council Rochester Institute ofTechnology 52 Lomb Memorial Drive Rochester, NY 14623-5604

259 INTERIM STAFF COUNCIL Special thanks to HilIiary SLOG - Dunn and staff (f1;dl an.d MEYERS MARGARET s Reprographic$i) fo.. ti)e printing. aijd distribUtion of this newsletter.